How NOT to write a novel by Sandra Newman and Howard Mittelmark

In which I diverge from the fictional path on a short sojourn into the world of non fiction...

"If you are irresistibly drawn to exploitative material, you are far better off openly celebrating your sleaziness than using your fiction to stage a war between your id and your superego."

I've had this book for a while and been really tempted by its blurb to commence reading. It hilariously describes some of the many stumbling blocks would be authors encounter in the quest to create their first novel.

Writing a novel has always been a long term goal of mine and reading this book - while it had me in stitches - reminded me of all the many times I'd commenced writing a story only to discover the plot grew tedious after a few pages, the voice shifted persons,  and the descriptiveness required by a Jackie Collins style sex scene might prove too embarrassing to share. This book covers all these kinds of eventualities and more in a delightfully tongue in cheek fashion. I really enjoyed it and gave it a 5 out of 5.  

"The reader also knows everyone poos. But if the first thing a character does is poo in front of the reader, the reader will think of him as the Pooing Character forevermore".